Processed Cocoa Yields 30 Times More Revenue Than Raw Exports — CapitalSage Founder John Alamu
By Itoro Uwah | Witty Global Blogs | October 8, 2025
ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Founder and Group Managing Director of CapitalSage Holdings, Mr. John Alamu, has called for an urgent national policy shift from exporting unprocessed cocoa beans to building large-scale industries that produce finished goods such as chocolate, cocoa butter, and powder — a transformation that could multiply Nigeria’s revenue by up to 30 times and create thousands of jobs.
Value Addition: The Golden Key to Economic Freedom
Speaking on the tremendous growth of his company, Alamu revealed that value addition through processing remains the golden key to transforming Nigeria’s economy. He explained that while an exporter of raw cocoa makes about $8,000 per tonne, converting the same quantity into finished products can yield up to 30 times more value.
“Nigeria loses billions of dollars every year by exporting raw materials instead of finished goods,” Alamu said. “The future of our economy lies not in what we sell, but in what we make out of what we sell.”
From ₦100,000 to a Multibillion-Naira Conglomerate
Reflecting on his journey, Alamu said CapitalSage Holdings started in 2014 with just ₦100,000 providing microloans to rural farmers and market women. Today, the company has evolved into a multi-sector conglomerate spanning agribusiness, finance, technology, healthcare, and manufacturing — employing over 2,000 people directly and supporting more than 10,000 farmers across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Johnvents Group: Reviving Nigeria’s Cocoa Legacy
Through its agribusiness arm, Johnvents Group, CapitalSage Holdings operates ten factories across Nigeria, including Premium Cocoa Products in Ile-Oluji, Ondo State — one of Nigeria’s oldest cocoa processing plants. With an annual capacity of 48,000 metric tonnes, the group exports high-quality cocoa butter, liquor, cake, and powder to markets in Europe, Asia, and the United States.
Alamu explained that Johnvents has diversified into multiple agri-commodities — including sesame, legumes, cashew, soya, edible nuts, rice, and rubber — strengthening Nigeria’s presence in the global supply chain.
Expanding Across Sectors and Empowering Women
The group’s edible oil, feed, and water units power agro-industrial complexes that employ hundreds of women, while the FMCG division delivers household-ready products such as cocoa powder, beverages, cereals, and seasoning cubes across Nigeria.
Alamu noted that the rice and rubber unit supports food and industrial crop security, while other business units ensure value addition remains the core of CapitalSage’s philosophy.
Driving Financial Inclusion through Technology
In the financial sector, Kolomoni—CapitalSage’s fintech arm—operates thousands of point-of-sale agents and merchant networks, driving financial inclusion in a country where nearly 40% of the population remains unbanked.
Its second fintech company, Ercas, provides digital infrastructure for payments and transaction processing, further anchoring Nigeria’s digital economy.
Commitment to Transparency and Strong Governance
CapitalSage Technology, the group’s fintech arm, holds a rare BBB+ credit rating from all three SEC-recognized Nigerian agencies — GCR, Agusto & Co., and DataPro — symbolizing excellence in transparency, governance, and fiscal discipline. Johnvents Group also maintains a BBB+ rating, reinforcing its credibility in global capital markets.
Economic Freedom: The Next Struggle
According to Alamu, the next phase of Nigeria’s development should focus on economic independence, not just political freedom. “The next struggle, like independence, is economic freedom. That requires courage, innovation, and African confidence,” he declared.
Recognizing his visionary contributions, Alamu recently received the Business Conglomerate Leadership Award at the Marketing Edge Awards, a testament to his impact on African enterprise and his unwavering commitment to building sustainable value-driven businesses.
Key Takeaways:
- Processed cocoa products yield up to 30 times more revenue than raw cocoa exports.
- CapitalSage Holdings started with ₦100,000 in 2014 and now operates globally.
- Johnvents Group processes 48,000MT of cocoa annually for export.
- CapitalSage’s fintech arms, Kolomoni and Ercas, drive financial inclusion and digital payments in Nigeria.
- Founder John Alamu emphasizes “economic freedom” as Africa’s next big frontier.
Source: Forbes Africa Independence Day Edition | By Itoro Uwah | www.wittyglobalblogs.com
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